Food package



J1me 1967 o. E, SEIFERTH ETAL 3,326,699

FOOD PACKAGE Filed Aug. 14, 1964 INV NTORZR United States Patent 3,326,699 FOOD PACKAGE Oscar F. Seiferth and Glenn M. Austin, Madison, Wis., assignors to Oscar Mayer & Co., Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 389,756 3 Claims. (Cl. 99-171) This invention relates to packaging and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a package in which a quantity of product is enclosed in a transparent container forming cover member providing the top and side walls of the package and sealed at its marginal edges to the peripheral edges of a relatively rigid plate-like closure forming member providing the bottom wall of the package and supporting the product therein.

Packages have heretofore been provided which are characterized by a transparent cover member in the form of a tray-like open ended tubular container and a closure therefor in the form of a panel member of relatively rigid material with a predetermined quantity of a product arranged therein so that it is supported by the rigid closure member and visible through the cover member which has its marginal edges connected in sealed relation with the marginal edges of the closure member. One such package of this type is illustrated in our Patent No. 3,070,446 granted Dec. 25, 1962. This package has been found satisfactory for the marketing of various products, particularly food products, for example, sliced bologna, cheese and the like. However, there has been some objection to the package due to the need for opening the same by cutting through a portion of the transparent wrapper with a knife or other tool. Also the package has no provision for reclosing so as to afford adequate protection for unused portions of the product. It is an object of the invention therefore to provide an improved package of this type which is easy to open and which incorporates a supplemental closure member providing satisfactory protection'for any part of the contents which is not removed, when the package is initially opened.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a package particularly adapted for marketing food products, for example, sliced meat, sliced cheese or the like, wherein a predetermined quantity of the product is arranged in superimposed stacked relation on a relatively rigid plate-like supporting member and enclosed in a pre-formed cover or wrapper member of impermeable transparent material, with the latter having its marginal edges in sealed relation at the marginal edges of the supporting member and with provision for easily opening the package without the use of a tool and reclosing the resulting tray like container, so as to protect any portion of the product which it may be desired to retain therein.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a package wherein a predetermined quantity of a product is arranged on a bottom forming metal disc and enclosed in a pre-formed cup-like cover forming member of relatively thin transparent, plastic material with the disc having a marginal flange which is double seamed to the marginal edges of the side walls of the cover forming member and also having provision for easy opening of the package by tearing out the center portion of the metal disc without the use of a tool.

It is a still more specific object of the invention to provide a package comprising a predetermined quantity of a product enclosed in a pre-formed cup-like container of semi-rigid transparent plastic and a metal closure disc having a peripheral flange in double seamed relation with the outer flange portion of the pre-formed container, the closure member beingscored so that the major portion thereof within the seam forming flange may be torn out Patented June 20, 1967 to open the package thereby leaving a rigid metal ring forming the mouth of the cup-shaped member and imparting substantial rigidity to the same so that it retains substantially its original shape.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in a package of the type described a reclosure disc which is initially disposed against the inner face of the panel member and which has a diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of the plastic container member so that it may be used as a cover for insertion in the mouth thereof after opening so that any remaining portion of the product in the container will be protected, with the disc being adapted to follow the product towards the bottom of the container and remain in contact with the otherwise exposed surface thereof as the product is used.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the package, which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a completed package which embodies therein the principal features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of one end of the package;

FIGURE 3 is a cross section taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2 to an enlarged scale and with portions broken away;

FIGURE 4 is a ing of the package;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view illutrating the use of the reclosure disc which is provided for covering any of the contents which is permitted to remain in the package after it is opened.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the completed package is shown in the upright position in which it will normally be displayed. The package comprises a quantity of a product 10, a bottom forming rigid panel member 11 on which the product 10' is supported and which forms a closure for a transparent tray-like container or cover 12 for the product, the latter being in inverted position so that the contents of the package is clearly visible through the same.

The package is particularly adapted for use in the perspective view illustrating the openmark-eting of food products but not necessarily limited to such use. In the form illustrated in the drawings, the particular product 10 which is enclosed therein is indicated as a stack of meat slices, cheese slices or the like.

The container forming cover member 12 is preformed of a transparent plastic, to provide the shape desired for the package or to conform with the shape of the product to be packaged. Generally, it will be in the form of a cylinder, as illustrated in the drawings, or of a square cross section for accommodating a product of that shape. The cover member 12, as illustrated, is cup-shaped with a side wall 13 depending from an integral top or end wall 14, which side wall 13 is provided at its marginal edge with a double or stepped flange formation 15, that is, with a filange formation which comprises an inner flange .por-

tion 16 extending radially outwardly of the side wall 13 and merging into a cylindrical wall portion 17 at the inner edge of an outwardly extending outer flange 18, the latter constituting the peripheral margin of the cup and becoming the cup seaming flange. The cylindrical wall portion 17 is slightly larger than the product supporting portion 19 of the metal closure disc 11 and the seaming flange 18 being of such dimension as to be received by the seam forming flange 20 of the metal disc.

The metal end closure plate or disc 11 comprises a central panel or main product supporting portion 19 which has a diameter slightly greater than the inside diameter of the cylindrical wall 13 of the cover member 12 and a peripheral flange section 20 which extends outwardly of the central panel portion 19. The outwardly extending flange section 20 constitutes a seaming flange which receives the seaming flange 18 o fthe cup shaped cover in forming the package. A sealing compound or gasket material, indicated at 21, is interposed between the seaming flange portion 18 of the cup-shaped member 12 and the seaming flange 20 of the disc member 11. The two seaming flanges 18 and 20 are coiled as shown in FIGURE 3 into a tightly closed double seam formation.

The closure member 11 is fabricated with an easy opening arrangement which is obtained by scoring on the lines 25, 26 and 27, the score line 25 extending about the periphery of the plate or disc portion 19 immediately inside the flange 20 and the two score lines 26 and 27 being curved into generally parallel relation towards the center of the plate section 19 and joining to from end portion 28 having a pull tab member 30 attached to the outer face thereof by an integral rivet 31 so that upon pulling the tab 30 outwardly of the plane of the panel portion 19 the material tears on the lines 26 and 27 and finally on the line 25, resulting in release of the entire panel section 19, which may then be removed to provide an opening for removal of the contents of the package.

A reclosure forming disc 32 which may be, for example, of cardboard coated with a suitable non-toxic plastic, when the product is a food, is enclosed within the package. As shown, the disc 32 is disposed in contact with the inner face of the closure panel portion 19. The reclosure disc 32 is of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the container member 12 and is provided with a finger tab 33 extending from the margin thereof which may be folded down, as shown in FIGURE 3, in the package when it is initially formed. The disc 32 is adapted to be removed when the package is opened and is then available for replacing on the top of the product, as shown in FIGURE 5, when not all the product is removed from the package after it is opened.

In forming the package, one method employed is to first assemble the product, which in the drawings is shown as a stack of sliced meat, in the container forming member 12 with the latter in upwardly opening position. The disc 32, with the sealing compound 21 in the seaming flange 20, is then placed on the top of the same. The assembly is disposed in a suitable supporting from so that when the closure member 11 is placed thereon the entire assembly may be placed in a conventional can seam forming machine where it may be vacuumized and double seamed to provide a hermetically sealed package.

The package forms an attractive display when stacked on a counter or in a cooler in the upright position shown in FIGURE 1. In using the package, the consumer may open it readily without the use of any tools by merely pulling on the tab 30, which has its end free so that it may be grasped between the fingers, in a direction away from the plane of the panel portion 10. The panel material will tear first on the score lines 26 and 27, which provides a strip-like starting portion 34 (FIGURE 4), and finally on the score line 25 so that the final torn out portion comprises substantially the entire portion 19, which may be discarded after it is pulled loose from the package. The reclosure disc 32 is removed through the opening which provides access to the contents. The bead like marginal flange portion 20 of the closure disc 11 which remains on the margins of the container member 12 after opening of the package forms a rigid edge and enable the semi-rigid container member 12 to maintain its form as an open top tray-like receptacle for the product 10, which may then be removed as it is desired to use the same. When a portion of the product is allowed to remain in the container 12, it may be covered and protected from dust and dirt by inserting the disc 32. The disc 32 is of a size which permits it to follow the product towards the bottom of the tray 12 as portions of the product are removed, so that, in the case of meat slices, for example, the disc serves to preserve and protect the remaining 4 portions of the product in the package while it is in storage and awaiting use.

While particular materials and specific structural details are referred to in describing the illustrated form of the package, it will be understood that other material and other structural details may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A hermetically sealed food package which consists of a food product arranged in the form of an upright mass, a relatively thin rigid metal disc having a center portion on which the product is supported and a peripheral seam forming edge portion providing an upwardly facing, peripherally extending pocket, a cover forming member for said product which has an inverted tray form and which is of at least semi-rigid transparent plastic material, said cover forming member being pre-formed to provide an outwardly extending downwardly stepped flange formation on its peripheral edge which flange formation comprises a shoulder forming inner flange portion seated on the peripheral margin of the product supporting portion of said metal disc, a seam forming outer flange portion which is seated in the pocket provided in the seam forming edge portion of the metal disc, said seam forming flange portions being in tightly closed double seam forming relation, said metal disc being scored for tearing and having a tab which may be grasped by the fingers and pulled to tear out the center portion of the disc on which the product is supported so as to leave a rigid rim formed by the seaming flange attached to the edges of the cover forming member and extending around the opening which co-operates with the cover forming member in maintaining the original shape thereof, and a reclosure forming flat disc disposed within the package in face engagement with the inner surface of the metal clos ure disc and the product which reclosure disc has a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the cover forming member, whereby the product supporting center portion of the closure disc may be torn out and discarded, and the reclosure disc may be employed to cover the otherwise exposed top surface of the product remaining there- 2. An hermetically sealed food package which consists of a food product arranged in the form of an upright mass, a relatively thin rigid metal disc having a center portion on which the product is supported and a peripheral portion providing an upwardly facing, peripherally extending pocket, a member for covering said product which is in the form of an inverted preformed tray of at least semi-rigid transparent plastic material, said product covering member being preformed to provide a cylindrical side wall with a top forming end closed by an integral panel and an outwardly extending downwardly stepped flange formation on the peripheral edge of the side wall, which flange formation comprises a shoulder forming inner portion engaging the peripheral margin of the product supporting portion of said metal disc and a seam forming outer portion disposed in the pocket provided in the peripheral portion of the metal disc, the seam forming portions being in tightly coiledseam forming relation, the metal disc being scored to enable the center portion of the metal disc on which the product is supported to be torn out, so as to leave a rigid rim formed by the peripheral portion of the metal disc attached to the edges of the tray member which cooperates with the tray member in maintaining the original shape thereof, and a panel member in the form of a disc of relatively flat material disposed within the package in face engagement with the inner surface of the metal disc and the product which panel member has a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the tray member, so that when the product supporting center portion of the metal disc is torn out and discarded, said panel member may be employed to cover the otherwise exposed top surface of the product remaining in the package.

3. An hermetically sealed package which consists of a product arranged in the form of an upright mass, a relatively thin rigid metal disc having a center portion on which the product is supported and a seam forming fiange portion providing an upwardly facing, peripherally extending pocket, an inverted cup-shaped container forming member of at least semi-rigid transparent plastic material surrounding the product, said container forming member being preformed and including a flange formation on its peripheral edge which flange formation comprises an inner shoulder portion sealed on the peripheral margin of the product supporting portion of said metal disc and an outer seam forming portion which is seated in the pocket provided in the seam forming edge portion of the metal disc, the seam forming flange portions being in tightly coiled seam forming relation, the metal disc being scored so that the center portion of the disc on which the product is supported may be readily torn out to fully open the package and leave a rigid metal rim on the edges of the container member and extending around the opening, and a re-closure forming disc of relatively fiat material with a finger tab extending from the marginal edge thereof disposed within the package adjacent the inner surface of the' metal closure disc, which reclosure disc is of a size to enable it to be employed to cover the otherwise exposed surface of the product remaining in the container when the center portion of the closure disc is torn out and discarded and to follow the product toward the bottom of the container and remain in contact with the otherwise exposed surface thereof as the product is used.

References Cited A. LOUIS MONACELL, Primary Examiner.

0 HYMAN LORD, Examiner. 

1. A HERMETICALLY SEALED FOOD PACKAGE WHICH CONSISTS OF A FOOD PRODUCT ARRANGED IN THE FORM OF AN UPRIGHT MASS, A RELATIVELY THIN RIGID METAL DISC HAVING A CENTER PORTION ON WHICH THE PRODUCT IS SUPPORTED AND A PERIPHERAL SEAM FORMING EDGE PORTION PROVIDING AN UPWARDLY FACING, PERIPHERALLY EXTENDING POCKET, A COVER FORMING MEMBER FOR SAID PRODUCT WHICH HAS AN INVERTED TRAY FORM AND WHICH IS OF AT LEAST SEMI-RIGID TRANSPARENT PLASTIC MATERIAL, SAID COVER FORMING MEMBER BEING PRE-FORMED TO PROVIDE AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY STEPPED FLANGE FORMATION ON ITS PERIPHERAL EDGE WHICH FLANGE FORMATION COMPRISES A SHOULDER FORMING INNER FLANGE PORTION SEATED ON THE PERIPHERAL MARGIN OF THE PRODUCT SUPPORTING PORTION OF SAID METAL DISC, A SEAM FORMING OUTER FLANGE PORTION WHICH IS SEATED IN THE POCKET PROVIDED IN THE SEAM FORMING EDGE PORTION OF THE METAL DISC, SAID SEAM FORMING FLANGE PORTIONS BEING IN TIGHTLY CLOSED DOUBLE SEAM FORMING RELATION, SAID METAL DISC BEING SCORED FOR TEARING 